Wing structure for airplanes



v'\/. c. LAMBERT 13,785,318 IWJIG STRUCTURE FOR AIRPLANES Dec. 16, 1930.

Filed Jan. 26, 1929 .2 sheet-sheet 1` 1mm... w

l, o CZmZerZ Dec. .16, 1930. w. c. LAMBERT WING STRUCTURE FOR AIRPLANES Filed Jan. 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illll T rlllllln IIFUHIIII |ll|l I IHMU W. C 'Zambe'Z I gva/vento@ Patented Dec. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT o1-Fics WIIJLIAM C. LAMBERT. OF IRONTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, F ONE-FOURTH TO DEAN MCG. GILFILLAN, F IRONTON, OHIO, AND ONE- FOURTH TO ELMER STEWART, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA WING STRUCTURE FOR AIlIItPl'aA-NIES- Application 1aed January ze, 1929. serial No. 335,221.

, The present invention deals with a structure of airplane wings and seeks to developl a form of wing which may be assembled from stock parts by means of relatively unskilled 5.] labor and operations.

. ings, in which- F ig. 1- is a perspective view of my improved wing structure;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the transverse spars; and

' Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

A preferred form of wing structure e'mbodying my invention and illustrated by way of example in the drawings, consists of a plurality of wing sections 5-5 of identical character. Each'section is built up from a pair of longitudinal ribs. The end rib 6 is made of fiat sheet metal or analogous material and may be termed blank as it is not perforated or cut out to reduce Weight.

v The intermediate ribs 7 are punched out to form the openings 8-8 as shown in Fig. 2 and further strength may be given the ribs by transverse corrugations Where desired. The contour of the ribs is that of a stream linel as is customary.

Adjacent ribs 6 and 'i' are held in spaced parallel position by the intermediate transverse spars 9 and 10. The forward spar 9 is l shown to be formed from sheet metal having a rear portion 11,` a bottom` 12, afrontwall 13 and a top 14. The edge between the rear wall 11 and the top 14 is riveted as shown in Fig. 3 and thus forms a hollow tubular sheet metal spar. While I have shown this to be made from a single piece of sheet metal, convenience may require its manufacture from several pieces or even by-molding, casting in desii-ed cross section such as round, oval, oblong, triangular, rectangular or I-shaped.

The free ends of the spar 9 are open and surrounded by upstanding flanges 15-15 which ,extend at'right angles to the planes of the adjacent Walls ofthe spar'. These flanges are perforated as at 16 to accommodate the rivets by which the severalparts are assembled. It will be noticed that the top 14 conforms in its slope to the adjacent cover of the wing section.

' The flanges at the edges of the rear wall 11 carry at their opposite ends the corner plates 17 17 which are also punched to receive rivets that pass through the openings 16 of the flanges. The plates17 have lateral extensions 18 with eyes 19 by which the corner bracing is attached.

The` rear spar 10 is formed in the same manner as has been described for the front spar 9 with the exception that the top wall 2 0 slopes to the rear and is attached by rivets or other fastenings to the front wall 13 rather than to the rear wall 11. Similar flanges 15- 15 form upstanding parts ofthe free ends of the tubular members. The corner plates 17 17 are mounted upon the front flanges 15in the manner already described.

'Diagonal bracing members 21, 22, 23 and. 24 extend between the corner fittings 17, 17.

Eachbracing member carries a turn-buckle 25 by which the desired tightness may be given or they may be rigid such as tubes or solid members and have integral fittings.

The framework built up from the ribs 7 andthe transverse spars 9 and 10 is covered by means of longitudinal sections 26-26, that may consist of formed sheet metal, Wood,l cloth, or a combination of either two. The connection between the spars on opposite sides ofa single rib is in the form of bolts N or rivets 27 which pass throuvh the intermediate, rib. The side edges of the sections of the cover 26 are likewise flanged to meet the edges of the ribs 7. In this manner a cover strip 29 may be placed over the adja-` cent edges of the rib 7, the flanges 15, and the corresponding flanges 29, 29 of the cover 26. The rivets 27 may thus serve to bind the cover strip in place and at the same time hold thegparts above mentioned in firm contact. e

As manysections may thus be assembled as the design of the plane demands. The maximum rigidity is accomplished between the several 'sections by reason of the lformof the transverse spurs, the connection ofopposite spars through'the intervening ribs and the internal bracing between theispars of each rib section. The design permits the quantity production of a minimum Aof parts and at the same time the easy assembly into the final form. Where any part requires replacement by reason of damage or other defect only the section involvedl need be disturbedjand by reason of the standardization of parts the minimum of time and labor the replacement.

W'hile'l have described the preferred form of my invention it will be readily apparent that the same is not limited to the form described but the scope of the invention will provide for minor variations in -details and proportions within the scope ofthe appended claims. v

What I claim is:

1. In an airplane wing, a pair of longitudinal ribs, a pair of transverse tubular spar sections having end flanges in abutting engagement with ,the ribs, bracing means between opposite end flanges of the spar sections, a cover extending between the ribs and lcover strips over the edges of the ribs.

2. An airpllane' win section having a cover, a para el longitu 'nal rib on each side of the cover, rigidtubular sheet metal spar sections therebetween, flanges on the ends 'of the spar sections andl means connecting 4. theflanges to the 3. A sectional lane win cover sections, par tween adjacent cover sections, rigid tubular sheet metal spar sections therebetween, Hflanges on the ends of the spar sections and means connecting the flanges of adjacent l0 spar sections thronghthe intervening rib.

comprising 4. A sectional ai'plane comprising cover sections, par el longitu naLribs between adjacent cover sections, ri'ld tubular /sheet metal spar-sections exten g transversely btween-'the rib's and lflangeslln abutting rela on thereto.

' 5. A sectional airplane w' comprising cover sectionsfparallel longitu al ribs between adjacent cover sections, -a plurality of x00 rigid tubular sheet metal. spar lsections extending transversely between each pair of ribs and flanged thereto. Y

6. A sectional airplane wing comprising cover sections, longitudinal ribs between adu jacent cover sections, a vplurality of rigid el longitu 'nal ribs be! tubular spar sections extending transversely between each pair of ribs, means connectingl the spar sections to the ribs and means Afor bracing the device between the spar sections.

7. A sectional airplane wing comprising wing sections formed from parallel longitudinal ribs, a plurality of rigid tubular spar sections extending transversely between each pair of ribs, coverings for the win sections and common fastening means for t e several, .75 elements through the ribs.

8. A sectional airplane wing 'comprising wing sections formed from parallel longitudinal ribs, av lurality of ri 'd-tubulai; spar sections exten ing transverse between each o pair of ribs, coverings for sai wing sections, corner plates on the spars, and bracmg means between corner plates of opiposite spars. l

In testimony whereof, I a x my signature.

WM. C. LAMBERT. S5

is qrequired in A les 

